St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-01-19

positively what shall do in case the Young
| lady actually comes to Spies cell Thursday
morning determined to marry him. / am in
! hopes that before that time she Will have
! come to her senses. To-day l consulted with
| Judge Gary and States Attorney GrInnell in
| regard to the legality of the marriage and
/ both said in substance that there was no law
prohibiting it. The have the legal right to
marry. l have, however, the arbitrary right
/ to prevent the marriage. As Custodian of
the Jail and the prisoners have tho right to
exclude visitors when feel that a visit from
them should not be allowed. Should the
marriage actually take place, it wilIbe mar.
riage In name only so long as Spies is in my
| custody.
! AT PITTSBURG.
PITTsBURG, Pa. Jan. 1S.-The deyelop-
ment of the sensational circumstances in
the case of Miss Nina Van Zandt and her
determination to become the wife of Au-
gust Spies. the condemned anarchist. cul-
minated to-day in the prostration of Mrs.
John Arthurs Nina's wealthy aunt. The
aged grandfather William r. Clark, and
the aunt are both i'll, stricken by the way-
wardneSS of the young lady. Ninas sharp
refusal to submit to interference and her
| characterization of Mrs. Arthurs' remon-
! STRANGE against the marriage as ian unwar-
rantable outrage" added to her assertion
! ton practically that she did not care for the
| S400, 600 which her aunt was able to be-
Queath her, produced the most Shattering
effect upon Mrs. Arthurs' already wounded
| senSibilitieS, and wnen reporter called at
| her residence the servants stated that Mrs.
| ArthurS was too i'll to see any one and that
Mr.. Clark was no better. The scandal has
created sensation in society circles and is
the topic of the hour among all classes.
WIDOW AND OACHMAN.
The Scandal MOngers Of a Small
New York Town Accuse Them of
Murder and Criminal intimacy.
! DELHI, N. Y, Jan. 1S.-The Hoops
wife-poisoning case, which gave rise to a
| sensational trial at the December term of
| the county court, and which terminated in
verdict of acquittal of the accused hus-
| band, how has sequel in the opening of a
corQner'S inquest under circumstances i'm
plying strong suspicious that lately de-
ceased conspicuous citizen of this county
was foully done to death by poison. The
investigation is being conducted by Coroner
| j. Ii. Baxter and jury summoned by him.
The first step was the eXhumation Of the
| remains of John w. Griffin, a former large
| property owner and respected citizen of
Hobart. who died as was then supposed, of
natural causes on Dec. %, 1885, and the
| removal of the stomach and portions of the
| inteStines. These were placed in glass
| jar under seal and were sent to an expert
chemist at Albany for analysis. The sur
| viylng widow is a
| HANDSOME AND LIVELY BRUNETTE,
who formerly moved in the highest church
and social circles, and possessed fair fame.
uns 'rched by scandal. In April, 1885, as
oh EoA ut fl,n ioC fro1 1el1p
| quainted with Arthur T. Hoops, coach
man in the employ of neighboring family.
He is well educated and notably good
looking man of 80 years. Prior to Mr.. Grif
| fms death, Hoops was a frequent caller at the
house. on one preteXt or another, and the
| cordiality between Mrs. Griffin and the
coachman became a subject of remark.
After the husbands death, Hoops having
meantime quit his place as coachman, was
engaged pretty regularly in the fair widows
employ as gardener and overseer of her
landed property, and the relations Of the
| two became matter of wide notoriety. 1t
was at this stage of affairs and in March
| last, while Hoops and his wife, who is a
| pretty. mild-mannered young woman, were
/ boarding at a Mrs. Rollins, the alleged at
tempt by the husband to poison his wife
occurred. Somebody. evidently with
deadly intent mixed cynaide of potassium
with the salt in the dish placed by the side
OF Mrs. Hoops plate at the breakfast table.
| The authorities thought they saw motive
for the crime in desire on Hoops part to
rid himself of his wife thai he might marry
the widow Griffin, aid he was arrested,
| indicted and brought to trial. At the trial
the widow was an interesting and self
| possessed and
| POSITIVE WITNESS FOR THE DEFENSE,
in repudating any unlawful intimacy with
the accused man. She added, on cross-eX-
animation, however, that she gave bail for
his appearance for trial because she
thought he was innocent" and that she had
transferred certain real estate to his leading
counsel, but she denied that the transfer
was in payment Of counsel fees. The jury
on the first ballot stood to for acquittal,
and afterward united in a verdict of not
| guilty. The verdict was not satisfactory to
many minds in the community, and when
Hoops went back direct from the prisoners
dock to the employ of Mrs. Griffin, sus-
picion and scandal were excited to redoubled
intensity. The cor0ner's inquest now in
progress is the outcome of the state of pub
| lie feeling. The col oner has as yet ordered
no arrests, but it is understood that if the
chemists analysis develops the fact that
John w. Griffin was killed by poison, one
or more persons will be called to answer at
the bar of justice for the crime. The
| theory is that Mrs. Griffin was to poison her
husband, and Hoops his wife, so that the
widow and the coachman might marry.
The cOachman, by accident, was prevented
from carrying out his part of the agree
ment.